Sidelined
by LoLMelody
Summary: LEONXOC Carrie's always patching him up, always taking care of him.  But he keeps running back to the pain every time, because he's blinded by the wrong kind of love.  Will he ever come to love her, or will she continue to sit on the sidelines and watch?


**Hey guys, it's me. I know I should be writing on my KH stories, but this idea came to my head and it's really good. At least, I think so. So anyway, I've recently had this tiny thing for Leon...just fell in love. Cloud too, and I think I may write a one-shot with him, too. If I get a great idea.**

**So, I don't own anything by Square Enix. The only thing I own is this idea and my OC. Hope you guys enjoy, and don't forget to review! Love you guys, and thanks for reading!

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_Knock knock knock...knock knock_

I'm sitting at the kitchen table, alone in my nearly empty, spacious apartment. I'm doing a crossword puzzle while drinking some sweetened tea. I hear that characteristic knock, and suddenly my world goes blank.

_'It's happened again'_, I think as I get up and rush to the door. It's raining outside, pouring buckets and sheets. No doubt it's really cold. I get to the door and brace myself for what I'm about to see.

I put my hand on the doorknob and turn, afraid of what's on the other side of the door. I pull open the door and look up. My heart drops into my stomach as I see him standing there.

He's dripping wet, soaked to the bone. His arms are torn up, his neck bruised, and I see a bit of blood falling from his forehead. He's bleeding on his arms, and he looks like he's having trouble just standing there as he looks at me. He's not looking for long, though, as he collapses into my arms.

"Leon? Leon! Wake up! I can't—" But it's no use. It's the same routine, over and over. He collapses into my arms, I haul him to my spare bedroom. It never changes, never varies. It's always the same.

I lay him on the bed, which he seems to be sleeping in more and more lately, and run to get my first aid kit. I still haven't closed the front door...but that doesn't matter. I'll close it eventually, when I finally remember to do so.

I grab a chair and sit next to the bed, opening the first aid kit. He comes around, and says the same thing he always does.

"How did I get here?" He asks me. I lay him down again, since he'd sat up.  
"You arrived here on my doorstep, Leon. Just like last time." I say, dipping the washcloth into the water basin next to me. I remove his jacket and his shirt, and become even more disgusted with the wounds I see. They're worse than last time.  
"No, Carrie, you don't have to—"  
"Hush. Just lay down." I say firmly. He shakes his head. Just like before, he doesn't want me to help him.  
"Carrie, I can't let you do this. It's not—" I put a finger on his lips to hush him up.  
"Lay down, Leon, and be quiet. Just rest. Even if you want to leave, you couldn't. You know that by now, don't you? After how many times this has happened?" I say, before going back to washing him gently. The blood turns the white washcloth pink, then red as more blood stains it. I try to ignore the fact that he's lost so much blood as I finish with his head. I start to bandage his cuts and wounds.

Will this ever end? Or will this keep happening until he eventually gets killed? Is he ever going to stand up to her and actually defend himself, or will he continue to allow her to beat him up, tear him up, just because he 'loves' her and doesn't want to hurt her?

I ask myself these questions every time, but somehow...I'm afraid of the answer. I'm afraid that the truth of the matter is...he'll deal with this until he dies, just because he loves her so much.

And soon enough, these wounds I'm treating will no longer be treatable by me, even as a doctor. Soon, he won't be able to make it here anymore and he'll die on her floor.

Thinking that makes my stomach turn, especially since it seems so true.

**~*Leon's POV*~**

I lay there as her warm, firm hands tend to me. She's always doing this. She never says anything else, only concentrates on this task. She's always patching me up after my fights with Rinoa, my girlfriend. Carrie's always gentle with me...as if she's afraid to hurt me more. But when we're like this, she's so sure of herself.

I like that about her...her gentleness. She's the only woman I know who treats me so well. Except...when Rinoa treated me the way she did only a few months ago. Just recently was when she started doing things like this.

Carrie gets so angry inside—I can tell. She wonders why I don't stand up for myself. Why I don't make Rinoa stop.

But I swore never to put my hands on her. If that's what makes her happy, then I'll let her do whatever's necessary, even if it kills me.

Why, you ask? Of course it's stupid. But I love her...I can't think of ever being without her.

I know she's cheating on me. That's what this fight was about. But she knows I won't touch her or yell at her, so...she does whatever she wants. She'll destroy our furniture on my body. She'll use knives. She'll even use my own sword against me.

And I still come back to Carrie to feel some gentleness, some kindness. She's the only woman left that shows me any sort of gentle affection. She treats me like I matter, like I'm something precious. I miss that...

But I still love Rinoa. I will always love her. I can't see myself not loving her.

I look at Carrie, sitting up slightly. Her beautiful amber eyes meet mine.

"Are you okay, Leon? Better, at least?" She asks me softly in her deep, rich voice. I sigh as she sits me back even more, making me lie down as she sits on the edge of the bed. She starts putting bandages on my wounds. I watch her and notice the look in her eyes.

Compassion, care...even love. This is what she does for a living...this is what she was meant to do. Her face shows all of that...it makes me wonder why she does this for me, even though this has been going on for just over three years now. Why does she still keep patching me? Why does she still care?

I once asked her that...but she never answered me. She told me that it wasn't important why, it was important that she actually did it. I didn't understand, and I still don't. I don't stop the question as it comes out of my mouth.

"Why do you still do this, Carrie?" I ask. She stops, looking at me. Her eyes soften, and for a moment, I can almost see the truth in her eyes. But just as I get close to the answer, it's left her face.  
"Does it matter, Leon? As long as I'm still here, it's what I'll do. You show up here every time, and every time I will patch you up." She says, her hands still working on me. When she finishes, she puts everything to the side and stands, pulling up the blankets.  
"Carrie, I need to go. Rinoa—"  
"She can wait. The last thing you need is to see her again and have your wounds reopened in addition to getting more of them. Just rest. I'll be right here if you need anything at all." She starts out firm, in a disappointed tone, but then she lightens up, and her voice goes back to it's deep, smooth, concerning tone. Her eyes look at me with that look again. But I still can't decipher what it says. It's so close, yet I can't figure it out.  
"Close your eyes and sleep, Leon. She can't get you here." She says softly, her hand slipping into mine and holding it firmly.

Her hand is warm and comforting. I grasp her hand as best as I can—I'm still in pain—and smile slightly at her. I stare into her eyes and watch her watch me.

"Thank you, Carrie. Thank you..." I say. She nods with a small smile, holding my hand gently. I lay back on the pillow, taking a deep breath.

The room smells like her. Her own unique, feminine scent, mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg. It's spicy and draws my attention. It's comforting, and I fade quickly to sleep. My thoughts are all on Rinoa...but that's alright. We'll work things out again. We always do.

I fade into sleep, feeling that warm hand stroking mine. It soothes me as I slip into that awaiting darkness.

**~*Carrie's POV*~**

I hold his hand, and when he's asleep, I lean closer to him. I watch him for I don't know how long. I scan his features, from that square jaw, to his small nose, his collarbones, and even the scar across the bridge of his nose, the one Seifer gave him.

The same man whose causing Rinoa to cheat on Leon.

I feel anger swell up in me. I've held it in long enough...and it spills over as I start to sob.

"Oh, Leon...when will you see that there's someone so much better in front of you? When will you realize you don't love her as much as you think you do? You want to know why I keep doing this? Well...it's because I love you, Leon. I love you so much...I just want you to see me. Please...whatever you do...don't die before I can tell you all of this. Don't die on me...you have to live. Just a little longer, please. I'll have the courage soon enough. I swear I will." I say, leaning over to his cheek and kissing it softly, then kissing his forehead.

She never manages to damage his face. For that, I am glad. If she ever mars him beyond recognition...I will make sure I do the same to her. I don't think I could take another round of this...I know for sure that I can't. I will make this stop, whatever it takes. This will never happen again.

I lay my head on the bed, still holding his hand in mine. It's warm, despite his chilled state. I keep it held firmly to me, so that he won't disappear from me without my knowing it. I want to be there when he wakes. I want to be there to give him a good morning kiss, to tell him I love him, to have him tell me the same.

Of course, that's only wishful thinking. It's the last thought I think before I close my eyes. I fall asleep quickly with the feeling of his hand on mine. It resonates so right with me...I surely hope he feels the same.

**~*Leon's POV*~**

I wake up the next morning and start to stretch. I wince several times before sitting up. I look down to see that her hand is still in mine, however limp it may be.

She slept there all night with me. She didn't move. I smile happily. She's always like this. So caring and kind.

When did I deserve that kind of a friend?

I shift and she sits up, her hand slipping from my grasp. She yawns, looking up at me. She then stands and sits on the edge of the bed. She checks my bandages, changes the ones that need to be changed and then looks up at me with those eyes that still make my heart skip when I see them.

It's funny how her eyes still manage to make my heart flutter, but Rinoa's make me feel dead inside. I find it ironic...and slightly upsetting. I love Rinoa...but the romance in our relationship died a long time ago. And now she has Seifer...

Man, that hurts. My arch-nemesis is her lover. But I still love her. I really am stupid.

"Are you okay this morning, Leon?" Her voice cracks from sleep, but I can sense the genuine care and kindness in her tone. I nod with a smile, trying to cover how I feel from her. I can't let her know that it's killing me inside, slowly, that Rinoa no longer loves me.

I'm sure she already knows, but to voice it would no doubt make her do something rash. Carrie's always been like that. And I don't want her involved in this.

"Yes. I'm better, thanks to you." I say. She nods and stands, grabbing the first aid kit and water basin full of red and brown water.  
"I'll be back with something to eat. Just lay here, please. Don't move too much or you'll reopen a wound." She says softly as she walks away. The warmth of the room leaves with her, and I suddenly feel empty.

Much like when I'm with Rinoa and I know that she's cheating on me. But she still wants sex, she still wants my love...even though she's getting it from Seifer. She still wants my body, too. It seems...odd, repulsive.

But if it makes her happy, it's one less day I have to fight with her.

It's a few minutes before Carrie comes back. She made eggs with bacon and sausage. She knows exactly what it is that I like. Maybe it's not the best thing to eat after getting beat up...but she's off the clock and can feed me whatever she wants. She sets the plate in front of me with a hot pad holder underneath the plate.

"Be careful, it's hot." She says softly, sitting down next to me. As I eat, she watches me. We lock eyes, and for a moment I nearly see what's in her eyes. But yet again it erases itself off of her face before I can fully decipher it.  
"It looks like you can leave today...you're healing well. Try to find somewhere else to stay. With Zell or Cloud, preferrably. Hell, I don't care if you stay with Riku and Sora...just make sure you don't go home for a few days. Let things simmer down and let yourself heal. Doctor's orders, got it?" She tells me, smirking a little. I nod as I finish my food and she takes the plate. She puts it into the sink, then brings me fresh clothes.  
"You left these here from last time. I figured you might want some different clothes." She said, setting them on the edge of the bed. She then turns to leave. When she gets to the door, I don't want her to leave.

"Carrie?" I say without thinking. She pauses and looks back at me.  
"Yes?" She asks me.

I want her to stay here. I want her to keep me company. I want her stay. But I can't tell her that...she wouldn't even if I begged her.

"...Nothing. Never mind." She nods with a smile and leaves the room. I dress as best as I can, then walk out of the room. She's cleaning dishes in the sink. Her crossword book still sits on the table, as always. She's always doing them when I happen by here. She's always alone...she never has a boyfriend, or a friend at all, stay with her. As far as I know, I'm the only real friend she associates with. She's always been a loner...which is hard to believe, considering her field of work she's in.

"Have you ever thought of living with someone else, Carrie? Isn't it lonely living here by yourself?" I ask, still without thinking. She stops, then looks at me. She hesitates for a moment, thinking about something. Then she laughs.  
"No, not seriously. It's not that bad...you get used to it. It's peaceful, and after a long day of work, it's something to look forward to." She says, but I can see in her eyes she's not saying everything.

In reality, she's really lonely. But she'd never say it, especially to me. She doesn't want to put extra baggage on my shoulders. She thinks I don't need more; that she'd only be a burden. The thing is, though...I want to know. I want to know everything.

She'd never tell me, though. She's too stubborn like that. And she cares about me too much to allow that.

"Okay then...well, I guess I'll go. I'll be at Cloud's if you need me." I say softly. She nods, looking in my direction as she dries her hands on a towel. She hangs it and walks over to me.  
"Okay. If I need you I'll call. And call me before you run back over to Rinoa's." She says. I nod and wrap my arms around her. I must have caught her by surprise. She doesn't expect it at all and nearly jumps out of her skin. But then she relaxes and puts her arms around me ever so gently.  
"Thank you, Carrie. For everything." I say. She nods, letting me go. She walks me to the door, and I leave. She closes the door, and suddenly my world goes cold again.

I start back to Cloud's, my mind racing over everything that's happened in the past three years. I love Rinoa...right? And Carrie's my friend...right? Everything just seems so strung together. I can't figure out what's going on in my brain, but it's confusing me.

**~*Carrie's POV*~**

I close the door as he leaves, and my heart drops. It hurts so much when he leaves. It's one of the only times I get to see him. Otherwise he's always with that bitch, the one who's always hurting him. The one who always abuses his love for her.

I hate her. One day I'll get her back for all of this, either through fighting back or by showing her how much better off Leon is without her.

I have a steady job and a decent income, and I'm certainly not that bitchy or mean. I don't instigate fights unless necessary. I'm not anything like her.

So how come he doesn't love me?

Because she's put a face up for so long that the face is all anyone can remember at all. But now everyone's going to know. I'll make sure they do, especially all of ours—mine and Leon's—close friends. Cloud knows...he's the one Leon goes to after staying here. But Riku, Sora, Tifa, Yuffie, Cid and Aerith don't know. He's always hiding it. Of course they don't know.

But they will, soon enough. I'll make sure of it. And I'll make sure that he's never hurt again. I can't go through that again...I can't go through him covering up just how much it hurts him for her to do this. I can't go through him sugarcoating it just for me, so that I won't do anything.

That's never happening again. I won't allow it. Even if she never manages to leave physical scars...the mental ones she's created will never go away unless she stops.

And I'll make she does, one way or the other.

**~*Leon's POV*~*One Week Later*~**

I've been at Cloud's for a week. It's the night before I'm going to go back to her apartment. We're sitting, eating dinner and drinking beer. We've been quiet for a while.

And then comes the dreaded question.

"Are you sure you want to go back there tomorrow, Squall? I mean, I don't mind if you stay here longer." He says. I sigh softly.  
"Yeah. I need to go back and make things okay again." Cloud shakes his head.  
"Don't you think for a second that it isn't your fault? This is because of her. If she didn't cheat and she didn't get so upset when you tell her the truth, none of this would happen to you. In my opinion, you'd be better off without her."

Ouch. That one stings a little, no matter how much he's right.

"Sorry, Squall. That was uncalled for. I didn't mean—"  
"I understand, Cloud. It's alright...one day things will be okay again. I know it." Cloud sighs.  
"You can believe that all you want, Squall...no one will stop you from believing in something. But the possibility of that happening is very slim. You understand that, don't you?" I nod. I know it's true. But all I have is hope.  
"You know...maybe you should try finding someone else." By this time his words are going in one ear and out the other.  
"You know, maybe...Carrie?" I hear her name and snap up from my daze.

"What are you talking about?" I ask sternly. He sighs  
"I'm talking about Carrie. You should try going steady with her. It's obvious that she loves you, Squall. Otherwise, no woman would stand for all the crap you bring with you. No woman would stand for you showing up in the middle of the night, beaten up and broken, and expecting her to treat you. Carrie does...and it's because she cares about you, Squall." I shake my head. That can't be true.  
"Cloud...there's no way she loves me. She's just doing what's right. She stands by me because she's my friend. She wouldn't ever act that way." Cloud throws up his hands. He's giving up on convincing me.  
"Alright. Believe what you want, but...don't think she'll wait for forever. She'll have her own kids and husband before long...and it'll be too late for you. Anyway, don't forget to call her before you leave here. She told you to, remember? And call her when you get there and things are okay. Let her know that things are going alright, at least. She's probably worried sick about you as it is." I nod, standing to pack my things.

As I get ready to leave, I pick up Cloud's phone and dial Carrie's number. When she doesn't answer, I dial her cell phone. I'm relieved when she answers.

"Sorry, I'm not home right now. Is this Leon?" She asks. I can't help smiling at hearing her voice.  
"Yeah, it's me." I say. I can hear her smile in her words as she speaks to me.  
"Are you doing alright?" She asks.  
"Yeah, I'm fully healed. Look...I'm heading back over to Rinoa's in a bit."  
"Oh...okay. Make sure you call me when you get there, so that I know things are going alright. Don't think I won't run from work to find out if you're okay." She says. I laugh.  
"It's okay. I'll make sure." I say. She sounds so serious...yet I can hardly believe she'd just leave her job just to come check up on me.

"Okay, Leon. See you later." She says, and I hear her hang up. She must be really busy. It's not surprising...taking care of children isn't easy. Especially when they're sick. I put the phone down and start out the door.

"Be careful, Squall. And remember what I said...you can end it whenever you want to. You just simply have to walk away. And there will always be someone there to catch you. Don't be afraid to walk away." I hear Cloud say. His words sound like it's so easy to walk away.

In reality, it's nowhere near that easy. Especially when you love someone.

* * *

When I get back to her apartment, I knock on the door. When there's no answer, I'm not surprised. She may not be home. As I reach for the doorknob, the door opens sharply. Seifer walks out, ignoring me. Behind him is Rinoa, clad only in a bathrobe. It makes me angry, but I hold it back as I look at her. She looks at me.

"It took you long enough to come back, Squall. I was wondering when I was going to get to see you again." She says, walking back inside, leaving the door open. I walk inside and close the door, following her to the kitchen. She's getting water and downs a glass, setting it by the sink.  
"So, where were you, Squall? Visiting Cloud?" I nod. This is the way it always is. She makes it seem like I'm the one doing everything wrong. Her tone is so accusatory.  
"Ah, okay. I was wondering where you were." I know she's lying. She doesn't care.

Nonetheless, I love her.

"How are you today, Rinoa?" I ask her. She looks up at me with those eyes, the ones I fell in love with so long ago.

But in reality, they only make me sick now. They're not like Carrie's. They're not warm. Not anymore.

She walks up to me and looks me in the eyes. Her face is expressionless. Then, she closes her eyes.

Then, I feel it. The sting of her slap. Already, another round is going to begin.

When will it ever end?

**~*Carrie's POV*~**

It's been nearly an hour since I got off the phone with Leon. He still hasn't called me. It's half an hour from Cloud's to Rinoa's. I can't help feeling something's going on. Of course, I could be paranoid, but...

"Debra, I'm taking the rest of the night off. I have somewhere I need to be. Cover for me." I tell my assistant. She gives me a look, but doesn't ask, only agrees. She respects me, and I her. I have a feeling she's going to be a great doctor one day, even better than me.

I change back into my regular clothes from my scrubs and leave the hospital. I get into my car and start towards Rinoa's apartment. My heart beats fast, and even faster as I approach the apartment. I park, then run up to the third floor. I get to the door and I hear yelling. Of course it has to be this way.

Why am I here? Because I love him and I can't let him get hurt anymore. I'm done standing on the sidelines. Now is the time to act. I'm no longer going to sit by and let him get hurt and walked all over. I'm going to protect him and stand up for him, especially if he won't do it himself.

I hesitate, and when I hear a crash and a strangled cry, I rush into the apartment, dropping my purse and coat outside of the door. I rush to the kitchen and find Rinoa on the floor on top of Leon, a knife in her hand. I lunge at her and grab it, taking it out of her hand and throwing her off of him. I knock her to the ground and stand between them, putting the knife back on the counter. She stands up and glares at me.

"You! What are you doing here? This is my apartment! Get the fuck out!" She screams at me. I clench my fists.  
"Shut up, you stupid bitch! Why don't you try and make me leave?" I threaten. My anger is coming to surface. All of the pent up rage and pain is coming out, and it feels great. I want nothing more than to pound that girl's head into her floor.  
"What did you just call me?" She screams.  
"You heard me!" I shout back. I hear Leon get up from the ground. He's not badly hurt, from the sound of things. I ignore him and continue to glare at Rinoa.

"So, are you going to protect him now? Is that what this is about?" She shouts at me. I growl, then answer back.  
"Yes, I am! I'm done watching you hurt him over and over! I'm done standing around like nothing's happening, like no one knows what's going on. I'm tired of pretending I don't really care what's going on and that all I can do is patch him up! This is going to stop!" I shout. She cackles loudly.  
"And what makes you think that he's going to go away? He's so stuck on me it's pathetic. He comes back every time. You'd think he'd get the hint and go away, but no! He just keeps coming back!" She shouts. I stop dead at this, then feel even more anger.  
"So you were playing him this whole time, just because he wouldn't lay a finger on you! You lousy bitch! All you're good for is being a fucking slut! Dammit, women like you are so fucking low." I say angrily. I don't think I've cussed more in my whole life than in that one sentence.  
"Well then, if I'm so lousy, why do you keep going back to him then, huh? Isn't he just the same? He's stupid enough to take the bait and come back for more every time. Why don't you hate him, too?" I can't answer her. Leon's in this room...I can't say anything when he's here.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Or maybe there's a little secret going on that Squall doesn't know about, eh?" I snap my eyes up at her. I can't hold back anything. She's pushed me past my limit and I've lost control. So everything comes spilling out like an avalanche.  
"You want to know why I keep coming back? Why I keep helping him? It's because I actually love him! I actually care about him! I keep hoping that one day he'll come around and see how fucking worthless you are! But as long as you keep playing him like this there's no way he'll ever see. Well I'm going to put an end to that! No more of this pain! You're not going to hurt him anymore, and I'll die trying to stop you every time, if that's what's necessary." I say, feeling good to get that weight off of my chest. Now I just had to live through the next part of the confrontation to hear what he has to say about it.

**~*Leon's POV*~**

I'm frozen to the spot as Carrie stands there, defending me from Rinoa.

She loves me? And I never knew? How could I have not known?

Was Cloud right all along? Is that what he was trying to tell me and get me to see?

That's what her eyes have been saying all along...that she loves me.

She's been waiting for me?

I feel so awful...but hearing her say that lifts my heart.

Now if we can only make it out of this alive...then we'll be okay and we can work this out.

I watch as Rinoa lunges at Carrie. Carrie stops her by kicking her in the stomach with a stiletto-clad foot, knocking Rinoa to the ground. Rinoa spits up blood, which pains me. But I'm still frozen and can't do anything.

Rinoa lunges for the knife on the counter and gets it. She starts trying to stab at Carrie. And I can just stand and watch.

Then, the unthinkable happens. Rinoa plunges the knife into Carrie's abdomen.

All I can think is how much this is going wrong. This isn't supposed to happen.

As Carrie goes down, Rinoa's gaze turns to me. I see the light at the end of the tunnel and realize that I have to save Carrie.

Rinoa runs at me with the knife. I knee her in the stomach, take her knife away, and hit her on the back of the neck. She loses consciousness and I run over to Carrie. It's all over so quickly...why couldn't I do that in the first place? It would have all been over sooner...and maybe Carrie wouldn't have gotten hurt.

I hold Carrie in my arms, trying to get her to come back to consciousness.

"Carrie! Carrie, wake up! Please, I'm begging you! Wake up!" Her eyes peek open.  
"L-leon? You're...okay?" She asks weakly. I nod.  
"Yes. I knocked her out...she's out for the count. Are you feeling okay?" She smiles meekly.  
"Yeah, except for the hole in my stomach." She cracks. But I don't find it funny. I understand what she's trying to do.  
"That's not funny, Carrie." I say. She shakes her head.  
"Call...the ambulance. Get them here, or I won't...make it..." She says, passing out from blood loss. I scramble to my feet, careful not to slip in Carrie's blood, and dial 911.

When they get here, I'm holding Carrie. As they carry her on a stretch, I say the only thing I can.

"I love you, Carrie. I love you so much. Don't die...please. Please don't." But she's unconscious, so she can't hear me. I only hope she'll make it through so that I can tell her for real and start a new life with her.

**~*Two weeks later*~*Carrie's POV*~**

I'm sitting in the hospital still, getting discharged and finally feeling no pain for the first time in two weeks. I walk out and remember that right now Leon's putting his statement in at the police station. He's filing reports on Rinoa's violence on him. From the way I see it, she may get ten years, but she'll be out in a few months for good behavior. She won't get what she deserves, but I'm hoping by then she'll be able to go somewhere else, far away, and leave Leon alone. That way I can spend my time with him.

It's funny how the only thing that needed to heal was the skin outside of my body. She managed to miss every major bodily function with her stab, and now I'm almost completely healed. There's just a tender spot now, where the skin is still forming. I'm okay to drive and use my normal motor skills, though I've been given two more weeks reprieve for all that's happened. I'm also supposed to testify in court against Rinoa. I plan to do so in order to make sure I can get her into jail as much as possible.

Meanwhile, I get home and realize that my apartment's been taken over. It's got boxes here and there, and I remember that, now that all of this is over, Leon's moving in with me. It makes me happy that he's going to be staying here with me. I never wanted to tell him how lonely it gets in this apartment...but now I don't have to.

I set my stuff down and sit at my—our—kitchen table, thinking a little bit. What's life going to be like now? I haven't seen him in nearly two weeks. He's been so busy with the police that I haven't gotten to see him. He's had barely enough time to even move into my apartment. For now, he's sleeping in the guest room. I have a feeling that we'll be sharing my bed not too long from now. It'll be nice to finally be able to let out all of my feelings for him. It's been too long that I've had to keep them hidden.

I move slowly up the stairs to my room and sit on my bed, looking out of my sliding glass doors to the excellent view I had of the city. It's twilight right now, the sun almost completely gone behind the horizon. It's peaceful, and it feels good to be alone for a bit. I am antsy for Leon to get home, though. We have a lot to talk about. I lay on my pillow and watch the sun go down. I really want him to come home.

**~*Leon's POV*~**

It's really late by the time I get back to Carrie's. The police didn't seem to want to let me go and made a real pain out of themselves as they questioned me. I got some Chinese on my way back and walked into her—our—apartment. She didn't seem to be home, but I knew she actually was. I set everything on the table and make my way upstairs. It's dark in her room, but I see her sleeping form on her bed. She must have been tired.

I walk over to the bed and, slipping off my shoes, climb gently onto the bed next to her. She doesn't move, doesn't shift, nothing. I put my arms around her and curl around her. She's so warm...and she smells so good. I feel myself start to drift off, but then she stirs. I wait for her to notice me, and when she does she turns over and moves closer to me. She puts an arm around me and looks up at me.

"Hi there." She says softly. I smile and lean closer to her, the urge to kiss her overpowering me.  
"Hey." I say softly back to her. She smiles at me and closes her eyes. She sits up—much to my displeasure—and stands slowly. I stand quickly to help her down the stairs. She's a little wobbly, but she does fine otherwise.  
"Oh, you got Chinese? Thank you." She says softly. I sit her down and start unbagging food. She starts to eat as I sit down to do the same. It's silent before a question rolls off of my tongue before I can stop it.

"Carrie...what you said back there at Rinoa's apartment...did you mean it?" I ask her. She looks up from her food, staring at me for a moment. Then her eyes dart away from mine, and I can see she's unsure about something.  
"...Leon, you know that I'd never say something I didn't mean." She says softly. It's sounds so like her.  
"...Can you say it again? Please?" She looks at me again.  
"...Say what?" I give her a look. She knows exactly what I mean. She hesitates, then sets down the fork in her hand. My hand touches her as she looks up at me.

I fall in love with those eyes, just like I have so many times. Why didn't I notice this feeling about her before? Could I have really avoided all of our pain had I noticed this wonderful look in her eyes?

"...I love you, Leon." She whispers. My heart flutters. I haven't felt this way about someone in a long time. I always thought love meant that you're always hurting for the other person.

This woman makes me happy and in love at the same time. I never thought it was possible until now.

She looks away from me and I grip her hand a little tighter to get her to look at me. She looks at me, and I begin to say my bit about this whole thing.

"Thank you, Carrie...you were always there for me through the worst. You kept me on my feet when no one else could. You took care of me through everything. I always thought of you as my best friend...but now I see there's a whole lot more to you than that. I feel the same way, now that I can see it. I love you, Carrie...thank you." She's looking at me with glassy, watery eyes.

I'm sure she's unable to feel that this is real. So of course, I have to prove it to her.

I pull her up from her chair, gently, and pull her to me slowly. She looks up at me with those eyes, the ones I fell in love with, and she's in disbelief. But I bend down and kiss her deeply, loving the feeling of her lips against mine and the taste of her. This one kiss is, by far, the best kiss I've ever experienced.

When I break the kiss she looks up at me, her whole face showing that she's happy. I feel great in her arms, and I hope she feels the same way.

She reaches up and runs her hand across my face, her eyes running over my face. She then kisses me deeply, and I fall into her. She's like a drug, intoxicating me more than I can take. If every kiss is going to be like this, I'll be addicted before too long. That is, if I'm not already.

* * *

**So that's the one shot! If you guys want, I can make a second part with a lemon...I was going to anyway, just not sure if I wanted to put it into the story or not. Review and tell me what you think! This is totally cliche, I know, but I like this kind of thing. And personally, I really like it. I'm proud of myself for writing this as quickly and accurately as I did. And if you read my KH stories, I'm editing the third part right now while also writing the fourth part. I will be putting out the third part very soon, don't you worry! I love you guys, so please leave a review on what you thought of a totally cliche storyline. Thanks guys!**


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